Venetain blind slat



p 1950 J. J; GREGORY I 2,521,363

VENETIAN BLIND SLAT Filed Feb. 6, 1948 INVENTOR. JOHN .1 ammo/ex ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UN] PATIENT O FF! CE- VENETIAN BLIND SLAT John J. Gregory, AkronyOhio ApplicationFebruary 6, 1948, Ser'ia1'No. 6,750

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved Venetian slat. of the type having cord slots having. an end opening through and edge thereof, with. removablemeans ior closing the open ends of the slots, the primary object of the invention being. tov prov-idean improved arrangement of. this character which makes easier and quicker and simpler the removal of individual slats for cleaning or other purposes.

Another important object of the invention is. the provision of a Venetian blind slat arrangement of the above indicated character involving readily removable clips for closing the open ends of the cord slots, which when in place securely maintain their positions, and which in the cases of both individuals and manufacturers are time and labor saving from the standpoint of assembling the slats in 1a Venetian blind because of the ease and celerity with which the clips may be installed.

Another important object of the invention is toprovide an arrangement of the :above indicated character wherein the clips are made of extremely light weight but adequatelywstrong mate'- rial such as plastic material or light weight metals, such as aluminum or magnesium, so that the-clips cannot unduly weight the blind: slats; or unbalance them,.such materials and the construction of the clips also affording .possibilitiesof unobstrusive appearance or ornamental appearance as may be desired.

Gther-important objects and advantageous features of the. invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein for: present purposes of illustration only, a specificembodimentiof thexinvention isset forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the underside of the clip, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary topplan view, on a reduced scale, showing the clip installed at the open end of one of the slots of a Venetian blind slat.

Figure 3 is a-bottom plan view of Figure 22.

Figure 4 is a left hand edge elevation of" Figure 3, and,

Figure 5 is a section Figure 3.

taken on the line 5-5 of Referring in detail. to the drawings, the 1111- r meral 6- generallydesignates a metal slat of a Venetian blind formed with a transverse cord accommodating slot 'I- opening through one edge of the slat, as indicated at 8. Insteadpr the slot 1- being' of the same; Width throughoutitslength,

2 approximately half of the length thereof 'inwardly from the open end is of narrower width, presenting edges '9, 9 which are laterally inset from the edges H), ID of the normal width cord receiving portion of the slot I.

In addition to the novel reshaping of the slot I, the slat edge I I through'which the slot I opens is formed at each side of the opening '8 with short narrow slots I2, 1'2, running parallel to the main slot 1 and spaced from opposite sides thereof at distances approximately the width of the slots l2, I2, and defining tabs I3, I3;

The clip for association with the main and supplementar .slots, generally designatedv I4, comprises aflat generally segmental body I5 of lightweight plastic or other suitable material having the upper corners of the converging edges l6, I6 rounded as indicated at I'I for smooth manual contact and appearance, and having the upper corner of the narrow end I8 similarly rounded, as indicated at I9, this narrow end being curved inwardly between its terminal ends at 2.9 to provide a smooth rounded contact area for the blind cord 2| in the slot 1.

The underside of the. body I5 is substantially plane and formed on its longitudinalmiddle with an elongated flatportion 24 which extends from the wider end to the smaller end. I8 of the body. The portion 24 has parallel. side edges 25,25 whose. lower corners are rounded, as indicated at 2! and whose inner end is curved and rounded at 28 to match the curvature of and form acontinuation of the curved area 251, so that the clip canv engage the blind cord 2| without apprecia-ble. friction or. chafing.

The side edges .26, 26 are undercut to define grooves 29., 29 which open through the wider end of the body I5 but terminate at a point close to the smaller. end of the body I5 to define curved shoulders 3Il-to mate with similarly curved edge portions .31, 3] at the outer end of the cord accommodating. portion of the slot I.

The grooves '29, 2'9 slidably accommodate the edges 9, 9 of the narrower portion of the cord slot I, which are also the inner edges of the tabs I3, I3, while the outer edges of these tabs are slidably engaged by the ungrooved laterally inward sides of the locking lugs 33, 33, which are parallely spaced from the sides of the portion 24 at such distances that the inward edges of the tabs are fi'ictionally and slidably confined in the grooves-29,23; The lugs 23., 23', which are similar but. reversed: inposition,- are approximately the length of the supplementary locking slots {2,1 2- but slightly wider than these slotsand-have rounded upper surfaces 34. The laterally outward sides of the lugs are undercut to define grooves 35, 35 which frictionally and slidably receive the corresponding edges of the slots l2, l2. The grooves 29, 29 and 35, 35 are of a width to frictionally and slidably engage the upper and lower surfaces of the blind slat 6.

In installing the clip 14, the clip is held in approximately the same plane as the blind slat 6 and with the smaller end IB toward the blind slat, the body portion 24 and the lugs 33, 33 are simultaneously inserted in the open ends of the main slot I and locking slots I2, l2 and the clip pushed toward the opposite edge of the blind slat until the wider end 25 of the clip is substantially flush with the edge H of the blind slat. The flexibility of the blind slat material is such that the sides of the narrow portion of the slot 1 are deflected and spread by the movement of the clip across the slat, so that the rounded shoulders 3|! can get behind and conformably engage the shoulder portions 3|, 3| at the inner end of the narrow blind slat portion, so thereafter force, exerted either by the weight of the clip, by the pressure of the cord 2! against the clip, or by ordinary handling of the Venetian blind will not dislodge the clip, and a manual pull upon the clip in an outward or retracting direction will be required to displace and remove the clip from the main and supplementary locking slots.

What is claimed is:

1. A Venetian blind slat formed with a transverse cord accommodating slot opening through one edge thereof, and a clip comprising a platelike body lying along one side of said slat and bridging said cord slot, said body having a relatively narrow laterally-projecting portion positioned in said cord slot, said portion being formed in its edges with grooves slidably and frictionally receiving the related edges of said cord slot whereby said clip is removably secured to said slat and the open end of said cord slot is closed to retain a cord therein, said blind slat being further formed with relatively narrow and short supplementary locking slots spaced from opposite sides of said cord slot and opening through said one edge of the slat whereby tabs are defined at opposite sides of said cord slot, and said body having relatively narrow and short locking lugs projecting laterally from said body at opposite sides of said laterally-projecting portion positioned in said locking slots.

2. A Venetian blind slat formed with a transverse cord accommodating slot opening through one edge thereof, and a clip comprising a platelike body lying along one side of said slat and bridging said cord slot, said body having a relatively narrow laterally-projecting portion positioned in said cord slot, said portion being formed in its edges with grooves slidably and frictionally receiving the related edges of said cord slot whereby said clip is removably secured to said slat and the open end of said cord slot is closed to retain a cord therein, said blind slat being further formed with relatively narrow and short supplementary locking slots spaced from opposite sides of said cord slot and opening through said one edge of the slat whereby tabs are defined at opposite sides of said cord slot, and said body having relatively narrow and short locking lugs projecting laterally from said body at opposite sides of said laterally-projecting portion positioned in said locking slots laterally outward sides of said locking lugs being formed with grooves receiving the laterally outward edges of said locking slots are engaged.

3. A Venetian blind slat formed with a transversely-extending cord slot opening through one edge thereof, and a cli for closing the open end of the cord slot, said clip comprising a plate-like body engaging one side of the blind slat in bridging relation to said cord slot, the side of said body engaging the blind slat having a projection positioned in and closing the outer end of the cord slot, said projection being formed in its opposite edges with grooves receiving related edges of the cord slot.

4. A Venetian blind slat formed with a cord slot extending across the slat and opening through an edge thereof, and a clip for closing the open end of the cord slot, said clip comprising a platelike body lying along and engaging one side of the blind slat and extending across the cord slot, the side of said body engaging the blind slat having a projection elongated in the direction of the cord slot and positioned in the open end of the cord slot, said projection being formed in opposite sides with longitudinal slots receiving the related edges of the cord slot, the said one edge of said blind slat being formed with looking slots spaced at opposite sides of said cord slot,and said platelike body having locking lugs on the side thereof engaging the blind slat, said locking lugs being spaced from the sides of said projection and being frictionally engaged in said locking slots.

5. A Venetian blind slat formed with a cord slot extending across the slat and opening through an edge thereof, and a clip for closing the open end of the cord slot, said clip comprising a plate-like body lying along and engaging one side of the blind slat and extending across the cord slot, the side of said body engaging the blind slat having a projection elongated in the direction of the cord slot and positioned in the open end of the cord slot, said projection being formed in opposite sides with longitudinal slots receiving the related edges of the cord slot, the said one edge of said blind slat being formed with looking slots spaced at opposite sides of said cord slot, and said platelike body having locking lugs on the side thereof engaging the blind slat, said locking lugs being spaced from the sides of said projection and being frictionally engaged in said locking slots, said locking slots opening through the same edge of said slat as said cord slot, the laterally outward sides of said locking lugs being formed with grooves receiving the related edges of said locking slots.

6. A Venetian blind slat formed with a cord slot extending across the slat and opening through an edge thereof, and a clip for closing the open end of the cord slot, said clip comprising a plate-like body lying along and engaging one side of the blind slat and extending across the cord slot, the side of said body engaging the blind slat having a projection elongated in the direction of the cord slot and positioned in the open end of the cord slot, said projection being formed.

in opposite sides with longitudinal slots receiving the related edges of the cord slot, the said one edge of said blind slat being formed with lock ing slots spaced at opposite sides of said cord slot, and said plate-like body having locking lugs on the side thereof engaging the blind slat, said locking lugs being spaced from the sides of said projection and being frictionally engaged in said locking slots, said locking slots opening through ,the same edge of said slat as said cord slot, the

laterally outward sides of said locking lugs being formed with grooves receiving the related edges of said locking slots, the slots of said projection and the slots of said locking lugs being of sumcient depth to define portions frictionally engaging the opposite sides of said blind slat in the region of said cord slot and locking slots.

'7. A Venetian blind slat formed with a transversely-extending cord slot opening through one edge thereof, and a clip for closing the open end of the cord slot, said clip comprising a plate-like body engaging one side of the blind slat in bridging relation to said cord slot, the side of said body engaging the blind slat having a projection positioned in and closing the outer end of the cord slot, said projection being formed in its opposite edges with grooves receiving related edges of the cord slot, said cord slot having laterally-inwardly-extending portions of the edges thereof adjacent to the open end of said cord slot defining a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Newbill May 27, 1947 Number 

